The rain fell heavily, as though the sky itself were crying. The silver-haired man raised his eyes to the sky, appearing uninterested and emotionless as the gentle rain trailed down his cheek, pretending to be a tear.
As he looked back down to the ground, he saw the color of red, drip, drip, dripping and diffusing among the rainwater, dying it red. His eye flicked towards his right. Genuine tears were flowing from his eyes, closed as tightly as his now bleeding fist. Kakashi could understand the boy's feelings; he himself had been in this position. Not just once, but thrice. Obito, Rin, and then the Sandaime Hokage.
Casting a glance backwards, Kakashi's dark eyes confirmed the source of the wrenching sobs. Not just the younger Lee, but his sensei Guy was trying to hold back a barrage of tears. Actually, he wasn't even sure if they were even trying, great rivers were already pouring out.
"Eh, now, Guy…" He started with a hesitant smile, lifting his hand as far as he could without falling in consolation. Already Kakashi had given up crying, he had shed enough tears before.
Before he could really continue, the bob-haired man that declared himself Kakashi's eternal rival half-tackled and latched himself onto him and was now unleashing double the tears onto his black-clad shoulder. For a moment, Kakashi wobbled precariously, reflexively trying not to further injure his battered body. It was his price for using Sharingan so often. After shifting a crutch and some subtle help from Guy, the jounin regained his balance and resumed his former position: albeit with warm tears mingling with the refreshing rain flowing down his chest.
Despite the heavy, melancholic air, Kakashi felt his usual mild exasperation for his self-proclaimed rival.
"Oh why, why Kakashi?" He wailed and sniffed loudly. Who knows? He thought to himself. "She was perfect for him! Oh, my poor little Lee!"
Kakashi looked over Guy's head and at Naruto. His blue eyes were open, staring straight at the gray stone, an intense expression in them. He's trying not to cry… much unlike those two. He thought dryly, looking over at a sobbing Lee. It's probably for her sake… I guess.
Aside from them, there were not too many others around this place. The whole of Team Guy was here, as well as Team Kurenai, Team Asuma and even the Godaime and Shizune. It sure was hard not to miss the energetic girl.
Ignoring the loud sobs on his right shoulder, Kakashi looked forwards again, to the gray stone, tall enough for him to lay his hand on it without much effort. At its base lay flowers, roses, lilies and chrysanthemums. Ino had even taken the liberty to sprinkle some delicate, pink petals around the general area. A forehead protector lay within the bouquets, the Konoha symbol seeming dulled on the red cloth, mourning the loss of its wearer. The Konoha symbol was once again visible on the grave stone, etched in like all the others in this graveyard. Below it stood letters:
HARUNO SAKURA
Flashes of the green-eyed girl sped by his eyes, when he had first met her, when Sasuke had left, when she had started training with Tsunade-sama, her becoming a chuunin, all those good memories. Kakashi felt his heart laden with the same guilt, stronger than he had felt before. It was part of his fault that yet another person close to him had died. First Obito, then Rin, now Sakura. Who would be next? Him? Naruto? Sasuke?
"Kakashi-sensei." The jounin's attention was drawn towards Naruto. The look of fierce determination was back in Naruto's eyes: it looked like he had come to some conclusion.
"Hm?" Kakashi indicated for his teammate to go on. The small crowd had also turned their attention to him, waiting to hear the tenacious boy's resolution.
His fist shot forward, dripping the blood from the wounds that he had inflicted upon himself. Kakashi couldn't help but notice that they were already healing, but not so much that the blood flow was halted. "I told her that I would bring Sasuke back." He said anger apparent in his voice. "I will not take back my words!"
A small murmur of agreement arose from the surrounding crowd. The loss of the Uchiha genius, their comrade and friend had been a hard blow to most of them. Kakashi managed to recall that Ino, Sakura's best friend, had also constantly been after him.
"It's time that we go, isn't it?" Kiba interrupted awkwardly, Akamaru's gave a soft bark in agreement and everyone else seemed to agree. Slowly, everyone started walking back to the ninja village, leaving him, Naruto, Lee and Guy, who had stopped crying, but was still holding on to him.
"Naruto-kun." They all turned to Lee, who wore a similarly determined look on his face. He stuck his fist out, as Naruto had previously done. "I, will also aid you in Sasuke's return!" He declared, seeming determined, no matter what the orange-clad ninja's response would be.
Naruto pulled a grin, sticking his hand out to let their knuckles touch. "Mm." He decided, united with Lee in his love for Sakura. "Gejimayu."
"Ossu!" Lee returned Naruto's grin.
Kakashi looked to Guy, half curious to see what his response was. Like the two younger males, he seemed to have cheered up quite significantly. "The Flames of Youth are rekindled once more!" He declared, back to his energetic self once more.
"Ah, yeah… whatever." Kakashi dismissed Guy's clichéd comment with a sigh. Putting his crutches a step in front of him, he began to walk back.
"Oi! Kakashi! Where are you going?" As expected, Guy had already noticed his growing absence… it was as though he had a psychic connection. That would be creepy… Kakashi admitted to himself. "Itteh…" He mumbled to himself, wincing as a lance of pain shot through him, causing him to pause in mid-step. "Kakashi!" Guy exclaimed, promptly launching into a whole rant on how he should have been taking better care of his body, not exert himself and something about youth again.
"Doton!"
"Doton!"
"Ganchuusou no jutsu!"
"Ganchuusou no jutsu!"
Kakashi's hand struck the ground at the same instant his opponent, sharp, diamond-hard spikes protruding from the ground in front of them. Once again, his Sharingan had successfully copied his opponent's technique. Right in between them both, the spikes clashed, nullifying the impact altogether. This Ame ninja had some pretty useful earth element techniques. A glance around told him that a horde of Narutos were executing the Uzumaki Naruto combo, while Sakura was dealing with her own two opponents. Neither seemed to need his help, so he looked back to the ninja in front of him.
"Tch!" His opponent had launched himself into the sky, attempting futilely to blind Kakashi. Had he not heard of the Sharingan's powers? "Jouro senbon!"
"Naruto! Sakura!" He shouted, alerting them of the shower of poisoned needles, hiding himself below ground to avoid the obviously poisoned needles. Although these were chakra-driven, those two should have been able to dodge them somehow, and if not, Sakura was more than capable of healing them.
A cry of pain, Sakura had been hit. "Sakura-chan!" Oh yes, that was Naruto. A few thwacks struck the ground and he emerged, half-heartedly throwing a few kunai at the remaining Ame ninja.
"Sakura!" He bolted straight for her. About ten needles protruded from her forearms and abdomen. From the wet sheen of the needles, they were poisoned.
"You bastard!" Naruto rushed towards the remaining opponent. A sphere of chakra concentrated in his right hand. With a poof, his kagebunshin disappeared. "RASENGAN!" The sphere hit the surprised ninja in the stomach, spiraling him away, already defeated. "How dare you do that to Sakura-chan!" He yelled after the corpse.
"Sakura, how are you feeling?" Although Kakashi was no medical ninja, he knew some basic first aid.
Sakura grabbed a few needles and pulled them out. "I'm fine, Kakashi-sensei." She confirmed. "I can make an antidote for this poison as soon as we get back to Konoha. Naruto!" She suddenly turned her head.
Kakashi followed her gaze, eyes widening as another Ame ninja, who had managed to escape him was streaking down, heading straight for Naruto, who was still seething in rage.
"NARUTO!" Before he knew it, Sakura had crossed the distance and shielded Naruto.
"Sakura!" He shouted, throwing shurikens at the ninja's exposed back.
Kakashi's eyes opened and he realized that he was breathing quickly. Oh, just a dream. A dream that reminded him of the guilt he bore for letting Sakura die.